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Belle (song)
"Belle" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for Walt Disney Pictures' 30th animated feature film Beauty and the Beast. Originally recorded by actress Paige O'Hara and actor Richard White, "Belle" is a French and classical-inspired song that incorporates musical elements from both the Broadway and musical theater genres. Summary The film's first song, "Belle" is a large-scale operetta-style musical number that introduces the film's book-loving heroine Belle, a non-conforming young woman who has grown weary of the provincial village life that she is being forced to live, and Gaston who desires her hand in marriage. The reprise mentions how she not only wants to give up her village life but also not accept Gaston's hand in marriage. Lyrics First Lyrics= Belle: Little town, it's a quiet village Every day like the one before Little town, full of little people Waking up to say Man 1: Bonjour! Man 2: Bonjour! Woman 1: Bonjour! Man 3: Bonjour! Man 4: Bonjour! Belle: There goes the baker with his tray, like always The same old bread and rolls to sell Every morning just the same Since the morning that we came To this poor provincial town Baker: Good morning, Belle! Belle: Good morning, Monsieur. Baker: Where are you off to? Belle: The bookshop! I just finished the most wonderful story, about a beanstalk and an ogre and-'' '''Baker:' That's nice. Marie! The baguettes! Hurry up! Townsfolk: Look there she goes, that girl is strange, no question Dazed and distracted, can't you tell? Woman: Never part of any crowd Barber: Cause her head's up on some cloud Townsfolk: No denying she's a funny girl that Belle Man 1: Bonjour! Woman 1: Good day! Man 1: How is your fam'ly? Woman 2: Bonjour! Man 2: Good day! Woman 2: How is your wife? Woman 3: I need six eggs! Man 3: That's too expensive! Belle: There must be more than this provincial life! Bookseller: Ah, Belle. Belle: Good morning. I've come to return the book I borrowed. Bookseller: Finished already? Belle: Oh, I couldn't put it down. Have you got anything new? Bookseller: Not since yesterday. Belle: That's all right. I'll borrow...this one! Bookseller: That one? But you've read it twice! Belle: Well, it's my favorite! Far off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise! Bookseller: If you like it all that much, it's yours! Belle: But sir! Bookseller: I insist. Belle: Well, thank you. Thank you very much! Townsfolk: Look there she goes, that girl is so peculiar I wonder if she's feeling well With a dreamy, far-off look And her nose stuck in a book What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle Belle: Oh, isn't this amazing? It's my favorite part because you'll see Here's where she meets Prince Charming But she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three! Woman: Now it's no wonder that her name means "beauty" Her looks have got no parallel Shopkeeper: But behind that fair façade I'm afraid she's rather odd Very diff'rent from the rest of us Townsfolk: She's nothing like the rest of us Yes, diff'rent from the rest of us is Belle! LeFou: Wow! You didn't miss a shot, Gaston! You're the greatest hunter in the whole world! Gaston: I know! LeFou: Huh. No beast alive stands a chance against you...and no girl for that matter! Gaston: It's true, Lefou, and I've got my sights set on that one! LeFou: The inventor's daughter? Gaston: She's the one! The lucky girl I'm going to marry. LeFou: '' But she's-'' Gaston: The most beautiful girl in town. LeFou: I know but-'' '''Gaston:' And that makes her the best. And don't ''I deserve the best?'' LeFou: Well of course, I mean you do, but I mean... Gaston: Right from the moment when I met her, saw her I said she's gorgeous and I fell Here in town there's only she Who is as beautiful as me So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle Bimbettes: Look there he goes Isn't he dreamy? Monsieur Gaston Oh he's so cute! Be still my heart I'm hardly breathing He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute! Man 1: Bonjour! Gaston: Pardon! Man 2: Good day! Man 3: Mais oui! Woman 1: You call this bacon? Woman 2: What lovely grapes! Man 4: Some cheese Woman 3: Ten yards! Man 4: one pound. Gaston: ‘Scuse me! Cheese merchant: I'll get the knife. Gaston: Please let me through! Woman 4: This bread- Man 5: Those fish- Woman 4: it's stale! Man 5: they smell! Baker: Madame's mistaken. Townsfolk: Well, maybe so! Belle: There must be more than this provincial life! (Townsfolk: Good morning!) Gaston: Just watch, I'm going to make Belle my wife! (Townsfolk: Oh, good morning!) Townsfolk: Look there she goes The girl is strange, but special A most peculiar mad'moiselle! It's a pity and a sin She doesn't quite fit in 'Cause she really is a funny girl A beauty but a funny girl She really is a funny girl That Belle! Man 1: Bonjour! Woman 1: Bonjour! Man 2: Bonjour! Woman 2: Bonjour! Man 3: Bonjour! Man 4: Bonjour! |-|Reprise Lyrics= Belle: Is he gone? Can you imagine? He asked me to marry him! Me! The wife of that boorish, brainless... Madame Gaston! Can't you just see it? Madame Gaston! His little wife No, sir! Not me! I guarantee it I want much more than this provincial life! I want adventure in the great wide somewhere I want it more than I can tell And for once it might be grand To have someone understand I want so much more than they've got planned Gallery Videos Belle (From "Beauty and the Beast" Audio Only) Trivia *"Belle" was nominated for the at the in 1992, ultimately losing to the film's own title song. *When Belle is talking about her favorite book, there is foreshadowing to later parts of the movie, such as "daring swordfights" (like the battle between Gaston and the Beast, although ironically, blades weren't actually used during the battle until just prior to Gaston's death when he stabbed the Beast in the back), "magic spells" (in the castle and on its inhabitants), "far off places" (as the castle seems far away from the town, although the actual distance is ambiguous), and a "prince in disguise" (the Beast). When the librarian tells her "if you like it all that much, it's yours", he is not only telling her to have the book, but also foreshadowing that she would go on to live the tale itself. **In addition, the book that Belle was reading (which the sheep briefly bites a page off) is implied from her description to be Sleeping Beauty, which was later confirmed in the New Fantasyland attraction version of Belle's Cottage, which shows both the original book Belle's mom read to her as a child (explaining why it was her favorite) and the book that she acquired from the bookkeeper. *In the first speaking portion of the song, when conversing with the Baker, her description of the book implied that the book she had finished and returned was Jack and the Beanstalk. Although Jack and the Beanstalk's earliest known publishing date was in 1807, which at first glance would conflict with the setting of the film being late 18th Century France, the story itself preceded that date significantly, with a similar story, The Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean, being included in the 1734 second edition of Round About Our Coal-Fire. *There is a brief moment of fourth-wall breaking in the ending of the song. Shortly after the final verses of the song (where the crowd is tailing her and singing about how she's odd while exchanging "bonjours"), Belle briefly snaps back a look, and the townspeople proceed to resume to their duties as if nothing happened. *Similar to "Under the Sea" in the Official Comic Adaptation for The Little Mermaid, the song was incorporated into dialogue in the Official Comic Adaptation for the film. **In addition, in the fifth issue of the Beauty and the Beast comic serial published by Marvel Comics, her flashback to the village referenced the events of the opening song, or rather, the scene immediately after it. *The woman who sings "Bonjour! // How is Your Wife?" originally was supposed to be a mother with her child tagging along, as well as wearing a far more conservative outfit.Disney Concepts on Tumblr *During the village chatter scene near the end of the song, there are some anachronisms and errors in the statements: Specifically, a woman and a man requested for 10 yards and a pound of something, respectively. In the setting the film took place in, late 18th century France (implied to be the prelude to the French Revolution by Glen Keane), the actual measurements used during this time were hands and feet, with the Metric system only being established during the events of the French Revolution. In addition, the measurement terms of "yard" and "pound" belonged to the US Customary measurement system, something that isn't used in France even in the present day, let alone during the setting of the film. *In the animated film, after the three bimbettes sing their lines, they faint. In the live-action film, a horse kicks mud up at them and LeFou tells them "It's never gonna happen, ladies." *Archive footage of this song sequence from the original 1991 animated film would later be re-used for the opening sequence of the 1995-1996 children's TV series ''Sing Me a Story with Belle'', albeit heavily re-dubbed with the show's theme song, the animated Belle is replaced by the live-action Belle portrayed by Lynsey McLeod, and only the parts of the original film where Belle walks to the bookshop were used. References Category:Hero/Heroine songs Category:Disney Princess songs Category:Opening songs Category:Beauty and the Beast songs Category:Academy Award nominated songs Category:Article of the week Category:Songs in video games Category:Songs in Disney Sing Along Songs videos Category:Area-Music Category:Group songs Category:Reprise